Coih-controlled lock for electric switches of motor



Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,377

L.. L. cUsTER com coNTRoLLED Loox EUR ELECTRIC swfrcHEs 0E MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Sept. 20. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l EQPfMP/ TMW @wig BY J/MMA/zg;

Jy@ ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1927.

L. L. CUSTER COIN CONTROLLED LOCK FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES 0F MOTOR VEHICLES y Filed Sept. 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet E g ATTORNEY'.

the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITEDl STATES LEVITT LUZERN CUSTER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

COIN-CONTROLLED LOCK FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application tiled September 20, `1926. Serial No. 136,472.

This invention relates` to new and useful improvements in coin-controlled locks for the electric switches of motor vehicles.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide for motor driven vehicles, and more particularly the small storage-battery propelled cars of amusement parks, a coincontrolled device for closing the circuit including the electric motor. In pleasure parks especially, a coin-controlled car will promote economy and convenience of operation, and will prevent its use by unauthorized persons.

It is another object ofmy invention to provide for the unlocking of the motor switch mechanism of the car, a simple and efficient lock in which a coin, such as a nickel, forms an arched bridge over which the locking pawl will ride free of the switch arm when the coin is inserted in the coin chute.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specification and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a front view of my coin-controlled lock with the case in section. Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a plan View of a small storage-battery driven car, showing the coin box located on the dash. Figure 5 is a perspective view of' the lock mechanism. Figure 6 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. Figure 7 is a side view showing the relat-ion ot the coin-operated switch to the vtripping device on the track below the car. Figure S is a transverse sectional view taken through the longitudinal plate supporting member and connected parts. And `Figure 9 is a sect-ional view taken through the pawl actuating lever.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a motor vehicle suoli as a small storagebattery driven car, which is free to travel upon a track 2. Through a suitable connection with the rear wheels 3, 3, the car 1 is adapted to be driven by anV electric motor `4 which is included in an electric vcircuit. with a storage battery 5.

For the purpose of. closing the motor cir'd cuit te startt'he 4motor 4, I have provider? a coin-controlled lock to release the starting device illustrated in my pending application, Serial No. 56,222, although I do not wish to be limited to such starting means. Briefly, the starting device described in said application consists of the following parts: Referring to Figure 7, the numeral 6 designates a longitudinal member which is firmly secured to the carl. Attached to the member -6 is a metal plate 7 having a flanged end 8 which, at the top and bottom, acts as a stop for a pawl-actuating lever 9 pivoted to the plate near its flanged end 8 by a pin 10.

Secured to the lower end of the lever 9 is an extension 11 formed with a lengthwise slot l2 through which there passes into a tapped hole in the lever a bolt 13 that carries between its head and the extension 11 a washer 14 which is wider than the slot 12. Secured to the plate 7 near its front end is a. wood block 15 to the bottom of which there is secured an elongated spring contact 16 which is curved at its free end to form a raised contact portion 17. Immediately above the latter there is rotatably secured by a pin 18 to the plate 7, a segmental ratchet disc 19. Formed on the periphery of the latter adja cent its outer 'face is a number of segments' 20, and on its periphery adjacent its in ner face there are formed ratchet teeth 21 which do not extend beyond the bases of its segmental portions.

Adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 21 is a pawl 22 which is pivotally secured at its rear end to the upper end of the lever 9. Connected between the middle portion of the latter and the pawl is a helical spring 23 to normally hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet, teeth and to maintain the lever 9 in the inclined position shown in Figure 7, with its rear end in engagement with the upper portion of the flanged stop 8 on the plate 7;

For the purpose of completing the motor circuit through the disc 19 of the spring contact 16 when a segmentI 20 on the formeris in engagement with the curved end 17 of the latter, there is provided. a spring plate 24 which is secured at its rear end to the block 15. Secured to the spring plate 24 is a wire 25 which leads to the negative terminal of the storage battery 5, while a wire 26 secured to the spring contact plate 16 leads to the motor 4. t

TheicoiiiI-controlled means closigaiid am meer Circuit versagt the sega lli il i;

rnental` disc 19; Will now be described.l Pivotally seenred to the upper end of the lever 9 is a linlr 2'?, to the outer end or which there are attached sere Q8, Qtliat freely project through slots 29, respectively in the inner endk ot a link 80. llhe latter is torined at its outer end with a slot 3l to reeeive a soreiv 32 at onev end otabell crank Secured within the iniddle portion ot the.

housing 38 is an inner shaft l2 upon Which there is. rotatablymounted a sleeve 43 that is held on the shaft by a screw 4.4 projectingrl through the hub portion Al5 et an operating lever 4:6. To the inner end ot the sleeve 413 the baelr plate et() is secured Also attachedto this' baclr plate is a carin plate et?? whiley outside thela'tter there is carried by said back plat-e a retaining plate 4:8. Seeuredto the backl plate -Orbeyondzthe rel taining'l plate i8 is a toothed quadrant 49.

The teeth of'this quadrant are adaptedto be engaged by a coi'iventional tullv stroke p'awl .pivotally secured by a serevT .5f-l to theV outside Vvtace ot' ak coin chute Qattached to the inner Wallet thehousingl 3b.` (See Fig ures l, 2 and Secured to a projection 53 above thepaivl 50 the hooh end o't a spring Wire which has a right angled lowerI end to bear against the pavrl 50 to held it in engagement with the teeth o'ii the quadrant @when the latter is moved under it by the lever All?. f

The sleeve t3 normally held againstl rotationby the engagement of a pawl With corner 5G ot the retaining' plate lle.-v rl1 his pairl 55, which is pivotally secured by a. sere-W 5l" to the housing 38, is held in the path of n'ioveinent of the retaining plate by a spring 58 secured between its rear end and a pin 59 attached to the housing Wall. (See Figure l.) However, When a coin 60 is dropped in the Chute it will lodge betyveen the retainin,- plate 48 and the back plate 40, as shown in Figures l and 5, to itorm an aroliedfbridge over which the pawl will ride free of engagement with the retaining` plate to permit the lever i6 'to be turned a tull stroke. rll-he bael; pla-te twvill be rotated by said lever to turn, through the link andV leverv connections hereinbefore de" The latter projects: at` its UO' Bye screw A. helical spring il is connectednemen-f7 said plate by a springV les the back plate titl moves `downwardly to the positionshown F anre bT the upper end ot the arm 62,

which is notched, Willlbe engaged gby, a( paWl Gil. pivotally` secured by a screw 65. to tlie, housing' Wall and held in the path of the, downward n'ioveinent ot said arm 52 byV a spring 66.v Non, when the,leveilis-ref turned toits normal position by the spring, 4l, the pin (5l Will be held in a stationary po` sition by the pan/il G4 a sutlieientlengtlrot tinieto permit the coin to drop into a drawer 67 below. continues its return niovenient, the artnr G2 will* come tosuch an angle Witlrrelation toVr the pand Gelgthatrthe spring 6,3 n'fill'returirit to its normal position, Where the pin. 6l Will be at the rear end ot the slot 62" in saidbaolr plate.

ln 'front et the pawll 64 l haveprovided aienrved gnardiGT, for the coin (il) to prevent it from being thrown out oi' thepsloty which receives `it by ateo sudden inoven'ient ofthe operating` lever a6.; (Seelignre 6),

TWhen the leverl-l is returnedto its nonn inalf position by the spring/4:1, thesegnient S20 on thev dise 19V Will still ren'iain in engagen nient iviththe springl contaet 1G to hold the inotor circuit closedy sincea reverse nievenient imparted tothe Iinlr 30hy the down? wardly traveling nieniber 3T will n'iove the pavvl 221 away itfroro the segmental ratchet dise. 1f).

For, the purpose ot, auton'iatieallyyopening the inotor eircnit, L have rnioridedthe folT lowing inea-ns, although any other desired means inay be employed for this purpose it desired. Relerringrl to Figure i', tliere is seicuredy to the traclr afhiir ltripplate GS Whiehis held in the path o'ttlre (intensi-onli on the lever 9 by a spring; 69. lllhen the eX*- tension ll on the lever 9 engages this trip plate, it will cause tl'ie pawl Qto tnrn,the dise lli' a sullieientl distaneeto nieve the segrn'ient S20-out. of engagement, with theispring; Contact ltto, openthemotor circuit to stop the car. This,tripped;movement otthelever 9 Willgnot disturb the coin-controlledlQCling ineens above; described, sinee the slot 8h in the linkBO permits therlatterrto be. moved rearwardly by said lever Without actuating lthe bell` Crank plate 33,

Tlieie-Qllneetion between the. links 27 and baci/r, plate;V Ll() and held in thek back of a` slot 62@ in And as the. haelt plate 40' 30 is made adjustable by the screws 2S and slots 29, as is also the connection between the vertical member 37 and the plate 33, by the screw 35 and slot 3G. (See Figure 7.)

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes or modiiications may be made therein within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, l claim:

l. In a motor vehicle, an electric motor, a switch for starting said motor, an electric circuit including said switch and motor, a switch actuator, a locking pawl adapted to hold the switch actuator against movement, and means for holding a coin for the locking pawl to ride over its curved periphery free oi' said actuator for the purpose specilied.

2. ln a motor vehicle, an electric motor, a switch for starting said motor, an electric circuit including said switch and motor, a switch actuator, and a locking pawl adapted to hold the switch actuator against movement until a coin is inserted in front of the pawl, whereupon the latter may ride over the curved periphery ot' the coin free of said actuator for the purpose speciiied.

3. A device of the type described, comprising a. movable member, a pawl for locking said member against movement, and means to receive a coin in front oi' said pawl to permit the latter to ride over its curved periphery free from engagement with the movable member for the purpose specified.

A. A device of the type described, comprising a movable member, a pawl for locking said member against movement, means to receive a coin in front of said pawl to permit the latter to ride over it free from engagement with the movable member, and means for releasing said coin after the pawl has passed over it.

5. A device o't' the type described, comprising a rotatable member, means for turning the latter, a backing plate carried by said rotatable member, a retaining plate also carried by said member, and a pawl adapted to engage said retaining plate until a coin inserted between it and the backing` plate permits the pawl to ride over its top curved surface free of said retaining plate.

6. A device of the type described, compris-- ing a rotatable member, means for turning the latter, a. backing plate carried by said rotatable member, a retaining plate also carried by said member, a pawl adapted to engage the retaining plate, and means to hold al coin received between the backing plate and the retaining plate in a position to permit the pawl to ride overit free of the retaining plate and to release said coin after the pawl has passed over it.

7. A device oit the type described, comprising a rotatable member, means for turning the latter, a supporting plate secured to said member, a retaining plate secured to, and spaced from, the supporting plate, an arm pivotally secured to the supporting plate, a pin carried by said arm, an abutment in front of said pin, resilient means attached to said arm to draw the pin against a coin inserted between the supporting and retaining plates, to press it against said abutment, a pawl adapted to engage said retaining plate until a. coin is inserted between the pin and the abutment, whereupon the pawl will ride over the coin free of the retaining plate when the rotatable member is turned toward the pawl, and a second pawl adapted to engage said arm at the end of said movement of the rotatable member to hold the pin stationary to release the coin upon the reverse movement of said rotatable member.

8. A device of the type described, comprising a. shaft, a sleeve free to turn on said shaft, a lever secured to said sleeve to turn it, a supporting plate secured to the sleeve, a retaining plate secured to, and spaced from, the supporting plate, an arm having a notched outer end pivotally secured to the supporting plate, said supporting plate formed with a. slot, a pin carried by said arm adapted to enter said slot, an abutment in front of said pin, a spring attached to said arm to draw the pin against a coin inserted between the supporting plate and the retaining plate, to press it against said abutment, a pawl adapted to engage said retaining plate until a coin is inserted between the pin and the abutment, whereupon the pawl will ride over the coin it'ree ot' the retaining plate when the rotatablemember is turned toward the pawl, and a second pawl adapted 'to engage the notched end ot said arm at the end ot said movement of the rotatable member to hold the pin iu a stationary position to release the coin upon the reverse movement ot' said rotatable member.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of September, 1926.

LEVITT LUZERN CUSTER.

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